Teenager sets himself alight in council office

An angry teenager frustrated with his application for a council home set himself on fire in his local housing office. The 18-year-old was in dispute over a re-housing application, with staff in a branch of Connections in Torquay, on December 7. He claimed he was about to be left homeless and poured lighter fluid over his body. The teenager then produced a cigarette lighter and ignited the fluid. A security guard dragged the burning man outside and put out the flames by rolling him on the floor. The teenager was taken to hospital with leg burns and later discharged.